The WNBA annual Commissioner’s Cup is set to begin this week with a new format that includes teams playing five games against conference opponents over a two-week period. In the past, teams would play a home and home set against each team in their conference. The championship game is scheduled to take place on June 25 at the home of the team with the best overall record in the tournament. The current champions, New York, will have a tough task ahead as they are required to play five games in just eight days, while other teams like Chicago, Dallas, and Indiana have slightly more time to complete their five games.
Players on the winning team of the Commissioner’s Cup can earn around $30,000 each, with the championship game MVP receiving an additional $5,000. The runner-up team players earn $10,000 each. Additionally, there is a charity component in the tournament, with teams earning money for specific charities based on their game results. Teams receive $3,000 for their selected charities for each game they win and $1,000 for each game they lose. The league also makes donations to the champion and runner-up charities, with the champion receiving $10,000 and the runner-up $5,000.
The AP WNBA Poll has Connecticut moving into the top spot, ahead of Las Vegas and New York. Connecticut is the only undefeated team in the league, while Las Vegas fell to second place. The rest of the top five consists of Minnesota, New York, Dallas, and Phoenix. At the bottom of the poll are Indiana, Los Angeles, and Washington, with the Mystics being the only winless team in the league. Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever recently secured her first WNBA victory, despite a rough shooting night, and is averaging 15.4 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.4 rebounds through the team’s first seven games.
In the Rookie Watch, Cameron Brink of the Los Angeles Sparks had an impressive week, averaging 13.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks in three games. Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky also had a strong week but was taken down by a hard foul from Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas, who was ejected after the play. Reese continued to play and even thanked Thomas on social media. Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx was named Player of the Week after averaging 22 points, 10.3 rebounds, and five assists to help her team go 2-1 for the week. Other players receiving votes included DeWanna Bonner of Connecticut, Kahleah Copper of Phoenix, and Kayla McBride of Minnesota.
The Game of the Week features the Las Vegas Aces visiting the Minnesota Lynx, with the Aces playing their first road game of the season. The Lynx have gotten off to a strong start, winning four of their first five games. The Aces are still missing star guard Chelsea Gray, who has been sidelined with a left foot injury since the WNBA Finals last year. This matchup will be a test for both teams as they look to continue their early season success in the highly competitive WNBA.
